Vehicle for exploding land mines and for tamping ground



April 22, 15947. E..w. AUSTIN VEHICLE FOR EXPLODING LAND MINES AND FOR TAMPING GROUND Filed Jan. 7, 1944 4 sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 100717 I!! April 22, 1947. E. w. AUSTIN 2,419,308

VEHICLE FR EXPLDING LAND MINES AND FOR TAMPING GROUND Filed Jan. 7, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m NQJI d A INVENTOR. Eaworw//Jwnf ym/y2 Q.. m g2g fwzwm...

Apri 22, 1947. E. w. AUSTIN VEHICLE FOR EXPLODING LAND MINES AND FOR TAMPING GROUND Filed Jan. 7, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 22, 1947. E. w. AUS-HN VEHICLE FOR EXPLODING LAND MINES AND FOR TAMPING GROUND Filed Jan. 7, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Apr., aa, teit UNITED .STM

` ria 2,419,308 A vEmoLE iron uXrLoniNG LAND mns giusta FFW@ AND FR TAMJPING GROUND Ellsworth W. Austin, Cedar Rapids, llowa, \as' signor to La' Plant-Choate Manufacturing Co., lino., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of'DgEelat Ware 19 Claims.

My present invention relates to a vehicle which is particularly adapted as aland mine sweeper,

although it has other uses for both war and peacetime, such as for tamping roadways, airplane runways andthe like.

One object of the invention is to provide a vehicle which includes a rotor supported by wheels or discs so'thatthe rotor may rotate and at the same time be advanced in a straight line, thus eiecting a coverage of the ground surface by wheels or discs over` substantially an entire area, the sides of which are dened by the outer limits of rotation of the wheels or discs.v

A further object is to provide a vehicle of this type which may have Wheels for merely tamping a strip of ground or relatively thin discs for passing over the ground surface and setting oi land mines due to the' weightV of the vehicle and its discs, particularly "tank mines.

A further object is to provide a land mine sweeper having large and thinbut heavy discs mounted in vertical planes so that tank mines and the like can be exploded by the Weight of the vehicle thereon without damage to the vehicle, as mines of this character usually explode in an upward direction and therefore objects carried upwardly by the explosion can pass the discs without harming them in any way.

Still a further object is to provide a vehicle so designed that other parts thereof likewise are not harmed by the explodingmines, there being a minimum of supporting elements extending from the discs to the frame offthe vehicle and spaced well above the ground surface, and a guard cone for the central portion of the rotor to deiiect outwardly any dirt, rocks and the like thrown upwardly by the exploding mine. l f' Another objectis to provide different forms oi the invention wherein the vehicle is self-propelled or may be propelled by another vehicle such as a tank, both forms of the invention, however, effecting a substantially complete coverage of the ground surface for the Ipurpose of exploding any mines along the path traveled by the vehicle, and thus effectively clearing a path for vehicles and troops to travel along without danger of being bl wn up by mines.

Still another object is to provide one form oi the mine .sweeper which is self-propelled and lmay be remotely controlled from another or control vehicle some distance back of the minesweeper vehicle to prevent Athe control vehicle frenm being blownup Aby a booby trap type of m e.

Still another object is to provide one form of the invention adaptable grader or tamper, this form having means to drive the wheels which support the rotor and to adjust them for either rotary. tamping operation or straight-away travel as desired.

With these and other objects in view, my in ,vention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed o'ut in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form oi' my .vehicle showing it mounted on a tank.

Figure 2'is a side elevation thereof with parts shown in section to illustrate details.

Figure 3 is a digrammatic View showing one adjustment of the vehicle for the purpose of trans J porting it.

Figure 4 is a travel pattern of the vehicle traced by the three supporting wheels or discs thereof.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified construe tion of the vehicle which in this case is self-pro-l pelled.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing an adjustment of one wheel of the vehicle of Figure 5 for transportation purposes.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of Figure 5 with certain parts thereof shown in section.

Figure 8 is an electro-hydraulic diagram shows ing a remote control arrangement for the vehicle of Figures 5 and 7.

Figure 9 is aside elevation of another modified form of the invention showing it applied as a combined road maintainer and tamping vehicle.

Figure 101s a sectional View through the gear- |2-I2 of Figure 10 to show further details of the gearing connections; and

Figure 13 is a detail Qi a releasing device 'for the vehicle shown nFigure 2.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral i0 to indicate a suitable vehicle such as an armytank or the1ike which may be used for propelling a vehicle Which is 'l y shown in solid lines and constitutes the subject matter of my present invention.

My vehicle includes a. frame l2 which may be pivoted at H to brackets i3 attached to the for use as either a road tank III. The frame I2 carries agrotor which is adapted to rotate on a substantially vertical stud I4 of the trarne. The rotor includes a bracket It iournaled on the stud I4 and a frame-work universally pivoted thereto and including three radial arms I1. A bracket I5 at the center of the arms carries a pair of cross pins Il and I9 con- ;ieitd to form an X which constitutes a universal The pin I 9 is releasably connected with the bracket I6 by being receivable in slots 20 thereof as shown in Figure 13, and normally held in such slots by hooks 2|. The hooks 2| are/normally held in engagement with the/ cross-pin I9 by a spring 22 surrounding an actuating stem 23. When the stem is raised it will obviously release the hooks 2l. For raising the stem, a bell crank 24 and a control cable 25 are provided. The cable 25 may extend to a convenient position in the tank III tor convenience oi' the tank operator in effecting a releasing operation for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

'I'he arms `I1 are braced by braces 26 and are supported at their outer ends by wheels or discs 21 journaled thereon. Each of these discs may be provided with chains 9 ii' desired, only one disc in Figure 1 being illustrated as having them. The manner of journaling may be on brackets 28 which are provided with perforated arms 3c to be bolted in different positions by bolts 3l as shown in Figures 1 and 3 respectively, their normailpositions being shown by f ull lines in Figure The rotor may be protected at its center by a cone-shaped guard 33 formed of sheet steel. The rotor is rotated by a bevel gear 34 attached to the bracket I6 and in turn driven by a bevel pinion 35. The pinion 35 is driven through a bevel gear I6 and a bevel pinion 31 from an env gine 3l which may be of Diesel or internal combustion type. The motor 38 may be supported in any convenient position, preferably outside of the outline ot the rotor as on the frame I2 as shown I in Figures 1 and 2.

During operation of the mine sweeper, the frame I2 is free to permit the discs 21 to i'ollow the contour of the ground, the universal joint at I8--l9 providing the required ilexibility for this purpose. 'I'he frame I2 and the rotor may be lifted, when it is desirable to transport the mine sweeper without rotating the rotor. A hydraulic jack 39 is shown for this purpose and it may be actuated by oil pressure from an oil pump 40 on the engine Il in the usual manner common in the operation of bulldozers and the like. may obviously be controlled from inside the tank Il by a remote valve or other suitable arrangement.

In Figure '7 I show a modified construction wherein, in place of the frame I 2, a jointed frame is provided comprising parts I2* and I3". The Joint between them is shown at II. In this form of vehicle, the frame member I3a has a steerable wheel 4I thereon, and a hydraulic actuator 42 of piston and cylinder type is provided for operating the steerable wheel. The engine 38* in this case may be mounted directly above the rotor and drive the rotor through a pinion 35, a gear 34, and a drive shaft I4.

The rotor, instead of having a bracket such as I8, includes a pair oi' stationary plates IS. The upper plate is washer-like and the lower one is a disc, and between them arms l1* are pivoted. The pivots are shown at 43. The arms l1' have loop-like extensions 44 on their inner ends which 'I'he Jack 39 surround a stationary eccentric 4I surrounding the axis or rotation of the rotor. The eccentric 45 may be adjustable as to throw or the pivots 43 may be radially adjustable for the purpose or changing the degree of advance of the vehicle per revolution of the rotor as will be apparent as the description proceeds. By way of example, 'I have shown the eccentric" throw adjustable by slotting it as at 15 to clear the drive shaft I4* and mounting it by studs 16 and a plate 11 (see Figure 10a). Ihe studs extend through slots 18 of the frame I2* and the entire assembly of cam, studs and plate 11 is adjusted by rotating a screw 19.

In operation, as the rotor rotates in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 5, the plane of each disc 21a will shift from a normal-tO-radial position of the arm extending toward the bottom of the drawing, to a plane turned clockwise from normal-to-radial position during one-half of the revolution of the rotor. This is shown by the right hand arm I1l being at angle A to aline normal to a radius a of the rotor. lteversely, during the other half of the revolution of the rotor, the plane of the disc will shiftcounter-clockwise from a normal-to-radiai position as shown by the left hand disc in Figure 5 and by angle B relative to such line normal to radius b. This causes the disc to eiect a spiraling out during the right half of the revolution and a spiralingin during the left haii', thereby causing the ve hicle to advance in the direction of arrow C when the rotation is counter-clockwise and the eccentric 45 is offset to the left, the distance of advance during one revolution corresponding to the degree oi' spiraling both out and in. Obviously, the greater o'set there is in the eccentric 45 the greater will be the spiraling action and consequently advance of the vehicle per revolution of the rotor.

In Figure 4 I show a path or tracing accomplished by this action, the three different discs following the paths shown by heavy, light, and

dotted lines respectively. The path tracings it. will be noted are relatively close so that most o! a path, defined by the outer limits oi' rotation of the rotor, is covered by the discs. In mine sweeping this is an important factor so as to not miss the touch-'off element of any mine in the path being cleared, Tank mines can be explodedby a lpressure of about 200 pounds anywhere within a foot of the central location of the touch-oi! element so that a pattern traced as in Figure 4 is sufiicient to insure touching of! any mine in the entire area covered. The vehicle itself is fabricated of structural steel and the discs of steel plates to resist explosion, and in actual practice the discs 21 and 21 may be as large as seven feet in diameter. This gives an idea as to the weight involved, and that the vehicle is suinclently heavy to set of! tank mines. They require a pressure of at least 200 pounds tc prevent being set o by individuals whereas "anti-personnel mines require but a very light pressure for setting oi purposes.

The form of vehicle shown in Figures 5 and 'I is Aprovided for the purpose of permitting remote control. The frame member I3* is relatively long and the steerable wheel 4I is provided with' a ange 46 which resists side swinging of the frame to thereby permit of the proper traction to cause the rotor to rotate instead of swinging the frame around the rotor when power is applied to the rotor from the prime mover or engine ll.. Ot

course where my vehicle is mounted on a tank,

truck or the like used to propel it, the propelling vehicle is heavy enough to resist such tendency of the frame I2 to rotate, and the propelling vehicle can be operated to advance the rotor as fast as necessary or desirable with the engine 28 furnishing power only to rotate the rotor and not to cause self-advancement thereof.

The form of vehicle shown in Figures and '7 has the further advantage that it can be remotely controlled as from a truck or jeep following some 50 or 100 yards behind.

For this purpose, the jack 42 may be extended or contracted Vby the remote control mechanism shown in Figure 8. thereof is mounted on my vehicle, and a control .portion 48 thereof is mounted on the trailing vehicle. 'I'he portion 41 includes a pump 49 which may be driven from the engine 38a, a reservoir R and a control valve 50. The valve 50 is a reversing valve for the piston and cylinder of the jack 42 and may be electrically operated as by solenoids 5| and 52. The solenoids are selectively controlled by a single pole, double throw switch 53 so that the wheel 4l may be swung to the right or left as desired, and when the switch 53 is released will stay in its new position until again changed by manual operation of the control switch. In connection with the pump 49 the usual pressure relief valve 54 is illustrated.

For controlling the rotation of the rotor, the engine 38B may be remotely controlled as by a reversible electric motor 55 hooked up with the butterfly valve 5B of the carburetor. The control panel 48 is provided with a second single pole double throw switch 51 for controlling the direction of rotation of the motor 55, thus speeding up or slowing down the rotor as desired. The wires from the actuating unit 41 to the control panel 48 may be in the form of a cable pulled along the ground by the mine sweeper and connected with the panel in the following vehicle or even controlled by a soldier on foot. The danger of a booby-trap type of mine exploding several feet back of its touch-off element is thereby taken care of by the length of control cable instead Of the trailing Vehicle being mounted closely adjacent the mine sweeper where it could possibly be blown up.

In Figures 9 to l2 I show a modification whereby my type of vehicle may be combined with a road grader or maintainer. The frame 12b in this instance, is the usual frame of the grader to which the usual grader blade (not shown) may be mounted. The usual steerable wheel 4U is provided controlled by a steering wheel 58 and the usual engine of the maintainer is shown at 38". The rotor in this case is a gear casing 45h having three axle housings 11b extending therefrom. All three of the axle housings are pivoted on axes 43h which in this case are rotating drive shafts. Each drive shaft 43b is provided with a gear 59 meshing with a main gear SD. The main gear 60 is driven by bevel gears 62 from a shaft E3 connected in any suitable manner with the transmission of the engine 38. Thus all three shafts 43h are driven in the same direction as shown by solid line arrows D in Figure 12. Each shaft 43b has a bevel gear 64 thereon meshing 7 with another bevel gear E5, The bevel gear 65 is mounted on an axle 66 journaled in the axle housing ,.Jl'lb and terminating in a wheel 21*J instead of a disc. The wheels may be 'of the usual rubber-tired variety.

Each axle housing Hb is provided with a looplike extension 44h similar to those shown in Fig- An actuating portion 41 ure 5, which are rotatable and slidable around an eccentric 45". The eccentric is stationary by being welded or bolted to the gear housing I5b and its off-center relation is to the left with respect to the frame 12b so as to cause advancement in the direction of the steerable wheel 4l. This direction is indicated by the arrow C in Figure 11, being turned 1A turn in this figure and in Figures 10 and 12 relative to the showing in Figure 9.

One of the axle housings I'lb is part of a subgear housing 61 which is eccentrically swingable with relation to the gear housing Ib as shown in Figures 1l and 12. When the sub-gear housing is swung to the position shown by dotted lines in these two figures, the gear 59 of this particular wheel is removed from mesh with the main gear 60 and meshes with the upper gear 59 in Figure 12. This reverses rotation of the wheel shown by dotted lines in Figure l1, so that both it (as shown by the arrow E) and the right hand wheel then rotate in the same ,".direction for straight-away travel in the direction of arrow C. The entire unit when in this position of adjustment Ais locked by suitable means (as a pin 10 carried by the frame I2h and extending into an opening 12 of the gear housing I5b) in position with the right and left hand axle housing llh of Figure 11 in alignment and crosswise of the frame l2b so that thereafter operation of the engine 38b will result in ordinary forward movement of the vehicle for grading or road maintaining operations, as distinguished from rotary movement of the rotor thereof for tarnping purposes. The upper wheel in Figure l1 is, with this adjustment, removed so that it is out of the way. Thus the rotary tampng feature may be embodied in a single vehicle which serves also for other purposes when it travels in the usual straight-awayv manner.

For the purpose of adjusting the dotted wheel in Figure 11 to either its dotted or full line position, a hydraulic jack E8 may be provided and controlled in the conventional'manner.

From the foregoing specification it will be obvious" that I have provided a vehicle which may be effectively used for mine sweeping operations or tamping purposes in either a self-propelled vehicle or in one which may be advanced along the ground surface by another vehicle. The form of invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be mounted on a tank o1' the like and used for ine sweeping operations without interfering with mobility of the tank as the rotor can be released by pulling on the cable 25 if combat becomes necessary during the mine sweeping operations. The discs of Figure l may be adjusted to the dotted position so that two of them thus adjusted as in Figure 3 are in a single plane and that plane is parallel to the plane of the third disc. The vehicle may then be drawn or pushed for transportation purposes as distinguished from .tamping or mine sweeping purposes with the rotor rotating.

With the form of invention shown in Figures 5 and 7 one of the discs may be adjusted to the position shown diagrammatically in Figure 6, and the lower left disc in this figure elevated as by a chain 69 (see Figure 7) so that the disc adjacent this chain is spaced from the ground surface as shown by dotted lines in this gure. The other two discs then serve as wheels in a straightaway direction so that the vehicle may be towed ytrailer fashion by hooking onto the left end of the frame member 83.

With moet to the pivot li in Figure 7. this permits the rotor to follow the ground contour and the ateerable wheel 4I to likewise follow the ground contour without interfering with each other. and eliminates the necessity oi' the universal joint of Figure 2.

The chains i shown in Figure 1, may or may not be provided. Their purpose is to iiail the ground as they extend'cutwardly to the positions shown in Figure 1 due to centrifugal force generated by rotation of the discs 21. They thus extend the etlective coverage of the discs for either tamping or mine setting oi! purposes.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose o! my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modied forms of structure yor use of mechanical equivalents which mayk be reasonably included within their scope without sacrincing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim as my4 invention:

fl. In a vehicle."'a frame, a rotor thereon for rotation on a V'vertical axis. said rotor having supporting wheels spaced from the center of rotation and swingable relative to said rotor, means to rotate said rotor and cause said wheels to swing clockwise from a normal-to-radial position during one half of the revolution of the rotor and 8 of said revolution to eiiect advancement o! said rotor and frame as a result of auch rotation ot the rotor.

5. A vehicle structure comprising a frame. a rotor thereon for rotation on a substantially vertical axis, said rotor having supporting wheels v prising a trame, a rotor thereon for rotation on a s substantially vertical axis, supporting discs for said rotor spaced from its center of rotation' the planas of said discs being adjustable from lateralto-radii positions, means for continuously adjusting the planes oi said discs for causing the advance of the vehicle relative to the ground surface while said rotor rotates, and an inverted 'cone-shaped guard for the center of said rotor and projecting guard toward the ground.

'1. In a vehicle of the kind described. Va frame, a

-rotor rotatably supported thereon, thin vertical supporting discs for said rotor spaced from its v center of rotation and having axes approximately to swing counter-clockwise from normal-to-radial position during vthe other half of said revolution for thereby advancing said frame, the degree of advance in relation to the rate of rotation being such as to eiect contact of said wheels with the ground surface at successive points substantially less than the distance from the center of rotation oi' said rotor to said wheels.

2.` In a vehicle, a frame, a rotor thereon, said rotor having supporting wheels spaced from the center of rotation, means for rotating said rotor, adjusting means for the planes of said wheels causing the planesv to swing clockwise from a normal-to-radial position duringone half of the revolution oi' the rotor and to swing counterclockwise from normal-to-radial positionduring 45" the other half ot said revolution to eilect advanoement of said rotor and frame as a result.

oi' such rotation of the rotor, said adjusting means and `elongated flexible nailing elements connected with said wheels adjacent the peripheries thereof.

3. In a vehicle of the character disclosed, a frame, a rotor thereon having supporting wheels spaced from its center of rotation and adjustable to and from a normal-to-radlal position relative to said rotor, means for imparting rotation to said rotor, and means for advancing said frame while the rotor is in rotation comprising adjusting means for the planes of the wheels causing the planes. `to swing clockwise trama normal-to-radial position during one half ofthe revolution of the rotor and to swing counter-clockwise from normal-to-radial position during the other half of said revolution.

4. In a vehicle of the kind described, a frame, a rotor thereon having supporting wheels spaced from the center of rotation and adjustable to and from a ncrmal-to-radial position relative to said rotor, means for imparting rotation t-o said wheels to thereby rotate said rotor, and adjusting means for the planes oi' said wheels causing the planes to swing clockwise from a normal-toradial position during one hal! of the revolution of the rotor and to swingcounter-clockwise from normal-to-radial position during the other hal! radially related to the axis of rotation of said `rotor, said axes being adjustable from said approximate radial positions and means for rotating said rotor and continuously adjusting the planes of said discs for causing advance oi the vehicle relative to the ground surface. A 8. In a vehicle o! the character disclosed, a frame, a rotor thereon for rotation on a `vertical axis, said rotor having supporting wheels spaced l from the center of rotation and provided with 9. A vehicle structure comprising a frame havi ing a `vertical rotor axis, a rotor for supporting one end 4oi' said frame, said rotor having supporting wheels spaced from said rotor axis, the planes of said wheels being changeable relative to radii of said rotor, a steerable wheel for supporting the other end oi' said frame, said irame comprising two parts pivoted together intermediate the ends of the frame, a prime mover on said frame for rotating said rotor, means i'or continuously changing the planes of said wheels relative to the radii of said rotor, shifting the planes clockwise in one-half of the revolution oi.' the rotor and counter-clockwise in the other half thereof, and remote control means for said prime mover and said steerable wheel. f

10. In a vehicle ot the character disclosed,r a frame having rotor journaling means, a rotor for supporting one end of said frame. said rotor having supporting wheels spaced from the rotor axis and having their planes changeable relative to radii of said rotor, a steerable wheel for supporting the other end of said frame. a prime mover on4 said trarneI for rotating said rotor. means for continuously'changing the planes of for supporting one end of said frame, said rotor' having supporting discs spaced from said rotor axis and having their planes changeable relative A to radii of said rotor, a steerable wheel for supporting the other end of said frame, a prime mover on said frame for rotating said rotor, and means for continuously changing .the planes of said discs relative to the radii of said rotor, shifting the planes clockwise in one-half oi the revolution of the rotor and counter-clockwise in the other half thereof for the purpose of effecting advance of said frame and rotor along the ground surface.

12. In a mine sweeper vehicle, a frame having a vertical rotor axis, a rotor for supporting one end of said frame, said rotor having thin vertical supporting discs spaced from said rotor axis the axes of said discs being changeable relative to radiioi said rotor, a steerable wheel for supporting the other end of said frame, a prime mover on said frame for rotating said rotor, and means for continuously changing the planes of said discs relative to the radii of said rotor for 13. In a mine sweeper vehicle, a frame having a vertical rotor axis, a rotor for supportingv one end of said frame, said rotor'having thin vertical supporting discs `spaced from said rotor axis the axes of said discs being changeable relative to radii of said rotor, a'steerable wheel for supporting the other end of said frame, a prime mover on said frame for rotating said rotor, means for continuously changing the planes of said discs relative to the radii of said rotor for eiiecting advance of said vehicle, and remote control means for said prime mover and said steerable wheel. l

14. In a vehicle. a frame, a rotor supported by said frame and rotatable relative thereto on a substantially vertical axis, Wheels for supporting said frame and thereby said rotor, said Wheels being in planes substantially normal to radii of said rotor, an eccentric xed relative to said frame at the aXis of said rotor, arms pivotgfi to said rotor and having said Wheels journ'aled thereon, said arms engaging said eccentric to be swung on their pivots to thereby effect advance of said vehicle as said rotor rotates.

15. In a mine sweeper vehicle, a frame, a rotor supported by said frame and rotatable relative thereto on a substantially vertical axis, thin discs for supporting said frame and thereby said/rotor, said discs being in planes substantially normal to radii of said rotor, oli-center means supported in rigid relation on said frame at the axis of said rotor, arms pivoted to said rotor and having said discs journaled thereon, said arms coacting with said off-center means to be swung on their pivots to thereby effect advance of said frame by rotation of said rotor.

16. In a vehicle structure, a frame, a rotor thereon, supporting Wheels journaled on said rotor with their axes substantially radial to the rotor and swingable from radial positions, means for advancing said frame by rotating said rotor,

said means including mechanism to adjust the planes of the wheels causing the planes to swing clockwise from a normal-to-radial position during one half of the revolution of the rotor and to swing counter-clockwise from normal-to-radial position during the other half of said revolution and means for adjusting one or' said wheels to a position parallel to another one thereof for the purpose of transporting said vehicle.

17. A vehicle structure comprising a frame, a rotor thereon for rotation on a vertical axis, said rotor having supporting wheels spaced from the center of rotation and swingable from radial positions relative to said rotor, means for imparting rotation to said wheels to thereby rotate said rotor, means for advancing said frame while the rotor is in rotation comprising adjusting means for the planes of the wheels causing the planes to swing clockwise from a normal-to-radial position during one half ol the revolution of the rotor and to swing counter-clockwise from normal-toradial position during the other half of said revolution, and means for adjusting one of said wheels to a position in a plane parallel to another one thereof and reversing its direction of rotation for propelling said vehicle in a straightaway direction without rotation of said rotor.

18. In a mine sweeper vehicle, a frame having a vertical rotor axis, a rotor for supporting one end of said frame, said rotor having thin vertical supporting discs spaced from said rotor axis, a steerable wheel for supporting the other end of said frame, a prime mover on said frame for rotating said rotor, and means for continuously changing the planes of said discs relative to the radii of said rotor for eecting advance of said vehicle, said means comprising pivoted arms on which said discs arelmounted and an eccentric cooperating with said arms to swing them on their pivots, and means for varying the limits of throw of said arms to thereby adjust the degree of advance of said vehicle per revolution of said rotor.

19. In a vehicle, a frame, a rotor rotatable relative to said frame on a substantially vertical axis, wheels for supporting said rotor and said frame, said wheels being in planes substantially normal to radii of said rotor, an eccentric at the axis of said rotor, arms pivoted to said rotor and having said wheels journaled thereon, said arms engaging said leccentric to be ,swung on their pivots to thereby effect advance of said vehicle as said rotor rotates, and means for adjusting the degree of throw of said arms and thereby the distance said vehicle advances per revolution of said rotor.

ELLSWORTH W. AUSTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 901,605 Ferris Oct. 20, 1908 2,004,154 Beatty June 11, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 41,497 Swedish Oct. 25, 1916 467,871

French Apr. 8, 1914 

